Key facts

  • Article 21 supports health-related dignity; Article 47 directs the State to raise nutrition and public health.
  • NFSA, 2013 and FSS Act, 2006 connect nutrition physiology with enforceable welfare and food-safety regulation.
  • ICMR-NIN 2024 guidance stresses dietary diversity, safe food, less salt-sugar-fat and physical activity.

Key Points at a Glance

  1. 1

    Homeostasis links all systems: feedback controls temperature, glucose, pH, blood pressure and water-salt balance.

  2. 2

    Article 21 supports health-related dignity; Article 47 directs the State to raise nutrition and public health.

  3. 3

    NFSA, 2013 and FSS Act, 2006 connect nutrition physiology with enforceable welfare and food-safety regulation.

  4. 4

    Small intestine absorbs most nutrients; large intestine mainly absorbs water and salts.

  5. 5

    Human double circulation separates pulmonary and systemic flows, improving oxygen delivery to tissues.

  6. 6

    Kidney nephrons form urine through filtration, selective reabsorption and secretion.

  7. 7

    Insulin lowers blood glucose; glucagon raises it; both are pancreatic hormones with opposite effects.

  8. 8

    ICMR-NIN 2024 guidance stresses dietary diversity, safe food, less salt-sugar-fat and physical activity.

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Scope, constitutional basis and exam frame

  • What the topic covers: Human physiology studies how the body maintains life through coordinated organ systems: digestion and nutrition, circulation, respiration, excretion, nervous control, endocrine control, movement, reproduction and immunity-adjacent defence. UPSC usually tests mechanisms, not isolated names.
  • Homeostasis is the central idea: Body temperature, blood glucose, blood pressure, pH, oxygen-carbon dioxide balance and water-salt balance are kept within narrow limits. Negative feedback is the usual control pattern: a change is detected, a control centre responds, and an effector reverses the change.
  • Nutrition links biology with governance: Food is not only fuel; it supplies carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, water and fibre. Deficiency, excess and poor food safety all affect public health, productivity and learning.
  • Constitutional basis: Article 21 has been judicially expanded to include health-related dignity and timely medical care. Article 47 directs the State to raise nutrition, standard of living and public health. Article 39(f) concerns children's development, and Article 42 covers just and humane conditions of work and maternity relief.
  • Legal basis: The National Food Security Act, 2013 gives statutory support to subsidised foodgrains, nutritional support to pregnant women, lactating mothers and children, and school meals. The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 created FSSAI for science-based food standards and safe food.
  • Case-law anchors: Parmanand Katara, 1989 held that immediate medical aid cannot wait for formalities. Consumer Education and Research Centre, 1995 recognised health and medical aid for workers as part of Article 21. Paschim Banga Khet Mazdoor Samity, 1996 held that failure of government hospitals to provide timely emergency care violates Article 21. PUCL right-to-food proceedings from 2001 converted food schemes into enforceable governance duties through interim orders.
  • Prelims method: Link every system to three layers: structure, process and disorder. Example: kidney structure is nephron; process is filtration-reabsorption-secretion; disorder angle is dehydration, kidney failure or salt imbalance.

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PredictedPredicted Questions

Use these prompts to test answer structure before moving to practice.

1MCQConsider the following statements: 1. Bile is secreted by the liver and stored in the gall bladder. 2. Bile contains lipase as its main fat-digesting enzyme. 3. Bile helps emulsify fats in the small intestine. Which statements are correct?1 marks · 50 words
  1. A1 and 2 only
  2. B1 and 3 onlyCorrect
  3. C2 and 3 only
  4. D1, 2 and 3

Explanation

Bile is made by the liver, stored in the gall bladder and emulsifies fats. It is not an enzyme and does not contain lipase as its main digestive principle.

~50 words · 1 marks